News, 8 December 2004

Researchers from the Universities of Sydney and Oxford have questioned
the theory that bigger babies grow into healthier adults, Reuters
reports. The analysis of studies covering more than 74,000 people
across the world found that cholesterol levels in adults who had a low
birth weight were only slightly higher than those who had a high birth
weight. [Reuters, 8 December]
Euthanasia advocate Jack Kevorkian has lost another appeal for his
sentence to be commuted on health grounds, The Guardian reports. Mr
Kevorkian is serving a prison sentence for murder after he poisoned a
man who had Lou Gehrig's disease and the videotape was broadcast on
television. He is not eligible for parole until 2007. [The Guardian, 8 December]
The strongly pro-euthanasia account of a 91-year-old woman's suicide
published last week has provoked a flurry of letters on the issue of
euthanasia. Alison Davis of No Less Human who has spina bifida,
hydrocephalus, osteoporosis and emphysema, expressed alarm at the
implication that suicide is 'a good choice' and stated that people in
her position need 'not legalised killing but help and support to live
with dignity until we die naturally.' [The Times of London, 8 December]
A poster campaign advertising the morning after pill has been withdrawn
by Schering Health Care after a wave of complaints. The advert read:
"Immaculate contraception? If only" and caused offense to many
Catholics. [Yahoo News, 7 December]
In a press release, Anthony Ozimic, SPUC's political secretary
commented: "The offensive nature of the advertisement was a reflection
of the offensive nature of the abortion-inducing morning after pill.
Despite withdrawing the advertisement, Schering continue to offend
against the truth and against life by promoting the drug as a
contraceptive, when in many cases it causes an early abortion." [SPUC Press Release]
A study commissioned by the UK government has questioned the high
public expectations of the biotech industry to provide cures for
life-threatening diseases. Paul Nightingale of the University of Sussex
and Paul Martin of the Institute for the study of Biorisks and Society
concluded that "there is now a substantial mismatch between the real
world and the unrealistic expectation of policy-makers, consultants and
social scientists." They added that a lack of realism leads to "poor
investment decisions, misplaced hope and distorted priorities." [Bioedge, 8 December]
A Montana lawmaker is sponsoring a bill that would provide death
certificates for aborted babies. Pro-abortion advocates described the
bill as "mean-spirited" but Roger Koopman described it as "a small way
for our society to acknowledge that a life did exist, even if they
didn't get to see a sunrise or blow out a birthday candle." [Billings Gazette, 7 December]
A British woman who was paralysed during a riding accident has been
successfully treated with stem cells taken from the lining of her nose.
Kim Gould, 43, can now crawl and has sensation in her lower back and
abdomen. Dr Carlos Lima of the Egaz Moniz Hospital in Lisbon has
performed adult stem cell transplants on 34 patients and opposes the
use of embryonic stem cells. He said: "I am opposed but not only for
ethical reasons. Mother Nature made embryonic stem cells to proliferate
and adult stem cells to replace and repair. To defy Mother Nature's
laws is, at least, dangerous." The Telegraph's editorial highlights the
benefits of adult stem cell therapy and the risk of embryonic stem
cells developing into teratomas, but persists in arguing that embryonic
stem cells have greater potential to cure disease. [The Telegraph, 6 December]
The director of the Dutch abortion boat run by Women on Waves is to
promote a new anti-Catholic book in Argentina. Rebecca Gomperts will be
present at an event to mark the release of "The 11th Commandment:
Woman, thou shalt not choose." [Catholic World News, 7 December]
The Kenyan winner of this year's Nobel peace prize has described
abortion as 'wrong', LifeSiteNews.com reports. Professor Wangari
Maathai, who was awarded the prize for her involvement in women's
rights and the environment, said: "There is no reason why anybody who
has been conceived, shouldn't be given the opportunity to be born and
to live a happy life. The fact that a life like that is terminated is
wrong." [LifeSiteNews.com, 7 December]
The UK's Daily Mail newspaper has published an article against the
Mental Capacity Bill entitled "A Licence for Killing". Melanie Phillips
describes the dehydration and starvation of incapacitated patients as
'unthinkable and abhorrent practices' that will be codified into law by
the bill. She writes: "It is quite astonishing that despite its
apparent obsession with human rights, Parliament is about to legislate
to destroy the most fundamental right of all - the right to life - and
to sanction the deliberate killing and the morally indefensible
exploitation of those who cannot defend themselves." [The Daily Mail, 8
December]